1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a transmission system and an air conditioning system for a motor vehicle and, more specifically, to a heat exchanger having an integrated oil cooler and condenser with a receiver/dryer. The oil cooler is in included within the transmission system, and the condenser component of the integrated device is in fluid communication with the air conditioning system.
2. Related Technology
Oil coolers for automotive vehicle transmission systems typically include a pair of headers and a core having a plurality of tubes disposed horizontally between the two headers. Heated oil from the transmission flows through the tubes and a stream of cooling fluid, such as air, flows across the tubes in order to remove heat from the oil. An oil inlet is connected to one of the headers and an oil outlet is connected to either the same or the other header. Within the headers, baffles may be provided to divide the interior space of the headers into more than one fluidly separate chambers. Through proper placement of the baffles, the oil can be caused to flow in a serpentine fashion making more than one path through the tubes between the headers.
Condenser assemblies for automotive vehicle air conditioning systems operate in a similar manner to oil coolers. More specifically, condenser assemblies typically include a pair of headers and a core having a plurality of tubes, through which refrigerant flows and across which the cooling fluid flows. A condenser inlet is connected to one of the headers and a condenser outlet is typically disposed at the lower portion of either the same or the other header. Baffles may be provided within the headers divide the interior space of the headers into separate chambers, and as a result, the refrigerant may be caused to flow in a serpentine fashion making more than one path through the tubes between the headers.
Condenser assemblies often include an integrated receiver/dryer into which the refrigerant flows in order to be separated into gas and liquid portions. Because the presence of water in the refrigerant will degrade the performance and structural integrity of the air conditioning system, a dryer is often associated with or located within the receiver. The dryer is located within the receiver so that the dryer is in contact with the liquid portion of the refrigerant facilitating the removal of water from the refrigerant. The dryer may itself be comprised of a bag or cartridge containing dryer granules, such as desiccant.
The oil cooler and the condenser have been integrated into a single heat exchanging device, as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,176. Such heat exchanger includes a left header, a right header, a core extending therebetween, and includes the above-discussed baffles for directing the respective fluids in a serpentine fashion and preventing mixing between the respective fluids.
An integrated oil cooler and condenser having a dryer is not currently known in the art. One concern, however, is preventing and detecting potential leakages between the two fluids of the integrated systems.